Know your thermostat: Simple tricks to slash heating bills

We'll soon be turning on the heating. It's no secret that electricity bills can strain our budget. One simple change will immediately reduce the bills. Even before the heating season, let's pay attention to the knobs on our radiators.

The radiators in our homes are equipped with thermostats. The knobs have numbers, usually from 0 to 5. It's also worth knowing that the thermostatic valve reacts to temperature changes in the room. This valve is located on the pipe that supplies water to the radiator, and its job is to regulate the flow of the liquid. The valve opens and closes depending on the temperature.

What does this mean exactly? The thermostat unlocks the moment it detects a drop in temperature and then lets hot water into the radiator to balance the temperature difference. So, what should we know about the numbers on the knob?

The lowest value on the thermostat is 0 - it's important to note that this does not mean the thermostatic valve is closed. The purpose of this mode is to prevent the water from freezing, maintaining a constant temperature of about 6-8°C. The number 1 causes the water in the radiator to be around 12-13°C. Next, number 2 means the heat will stay between 15 and 16°C. Number 3 raises the water in the thermostat to about 18-20°C, while number 4 ranges from 22 to 24°C. The last number, 5, is a mode not recommended for everyday use, where the temperature rises to 25-28°C.

The temperature in rooms should not be too high. Intense heating will also make us pay more for heating. It is best to set the thermostat to three; 20°C in the room is optimal for normal functioning. At night, switch the heating to two. You will see that it's much better to sleep in a slightly cooler room than in an overheated one.

It's very important to ensure proper ventilation of the flat or house during the heating season. In the autumn and winter months, it's best to ventilate the rooms briefly but often—this way, the heat won't "escape" from the inside.